Electrical power generator

Abstract

Electrical power generators incorporating stabilized fuels and methods for the encapsulation of fuels are provided. More particularly, methods for the passivation or encapsulation of water reactive, hydrogen gas generating fuels. The electrical power generators employ water reactive fuels encapsulated in a water vapor permeable, liquid water impermeable membrane, or coated with a water vapor permeable, liquid water impermeable substance to control the quantity of water that is permitted reach the chemical fuel. In the event of damage, electrical power generators incorporating the fuels of the invention are protected from explosions that might otherwise result from rapid, uncontrolled hydrogen generation.

Description

GOVERNMENT RIGHTS[0001]This invention was made with Government support under Contract Number F33615-01-C-2171 awarded by AMPGEN, AFRL Wright Research Lab. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates to stabilized, encapsulated fuels and methods for the encapsulation of fuels. More particularly, the invention relates to the encapsulation of water reactive, hydrogen gas generating fuels.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Similar to batteries, fuel cells function to produce electricity through chemical reactions. Rather than storing reactants as batteries do, fuel cells are operated by continuously supplying reactants to the cell. In a typical fuel cell, hydrogen gas acts as one reactant and oxygen as the other, with the two reacting at electrodes to form water molecules and releasing energy in the form of direct current electricity. This direct current electricity may t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]b) at least one fuel cell mounted within the housing, the fuel cell comprising a cathode, an anode and a water vapor permeable electrolytic membrane positioned between the cathode and the anode; which fuel cell is capable of generating electricity and fuel cell water at the cathode by the reaction of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas;c) at least one fuel chamber mounted within the housing, which fuel chamber contains an encapsulated fuel comprising a solid, water reactive fuel which fuel is encapsulated by a water vapor permeable, liquid water impermeable material;d) at least one air inlet for admitting atmospheric air into the housing;e) a water retention zone within the housing extending from the air inlet to the fuel cell cathode, which water retention zone deters the diffusion of generated fuel cell water out of the air inlet; andf) a cavity within the housing extending from the fuel cell to the fuel chamber, which admits a flow of hydrogen gas from the fuel chamber to the fuel cell, and which admits a flow of water vapor from the fuel cell to the fuel chamber.

Problems solved by technology

However, this system is undesirable in the long term because it is dependent upon a non-renewable resource.

While this method is useful, it is not preferred because the metal hydrides are typically very heavy, expensive and only release small quantities of hydrogen.

However, it also has its disadvantages.

For example, it has been found that the reaction products from the chemical hydride and liquid water typically form a cake or pasty substance which interferes with further reaction of the reactive chemical with the liquid water or acid.

Furthermore, the reaction of chemical hydrides with liquid are difficult to control, and typically generally results in the production of much more hydrogen gas than needed to power such small electronic devices.

Further, it has been discovered that hydrogen gas generators that operate based on reactions between a chemical hydride and water can explode or generate hydrogen at an excessive rate if they are damaged and the chemical hydride is exposed to liquid water.

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